AACL BIOFLUX

Aquaculture, Aquarium, Conservation & Legislation

International Journal of the Bioflux Society

Effects of environmental factors on growth

and mortality of raft cultivated mussel (Mytilus
galloprovincialis L.) cultivated in lantern nets
in Black Sea
M. Yesim Celik, Sedat Karayücel, İsmihan Karayücel

Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, University of Sinop, Turkey

Corresponding author: M. Y. CELIK, yesimcelik@yahoo.com

Abstract. One-year old rope grown mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis L.) were held in three
experimental lantern nets in raft system outside of Sinop Harbour. Mortality and growth were
monitored from May 2005 to May 2006. Water temperature, salinity, transparency and food availability
(total particulate matter, particulate organic matter, particulate inorgnic matter and Chlorophyll-a)
were also determined. The monthly specific growth rate (SGR%) ranged 1.50-5.72% with a mean of
2.59±0.30%. Shell length increment was found as 13.67 mm and reached to 51.20±0.50 mm. The
live weight increment was found 7.91 g, and mussels reached to 12.61±0.39 g. Meat yield ranged
from 17.51 to 24.25% with a mean of 21.12±0.63%. Cumulative mortality was higher in winter than
spring and summer. Monthly mortality was found maximum with 5.2% in October. This study is the
first known experiment to collect data on effect of environmental factors on mussel growth and natural
mortality in lantern nets and raft system in the Black Sea.
Key Words: growth, mortality, mussel, Black Sea.

Özet: 1 yaşındaki midyelerin yerleştirildiği üç adet deneysel ağ tepsi, Sinop dış liman bölgesinde
bulunan sala asılmıştır. Mayıs 2005’ten Mayıs 2006’ya kadar büyüme ve ölüm oranları izlenmiştir.
Ayrıca su sıcaklığı, tuzluluk, bulanıklık ve sudaki besin miktarı (toplam askıdaki madde, partikül
organik madde, partikül inorganik madde ve klorofil-a) belirlenmiştir. Aylık büyüme oranı %1.50-5.72
arasında olup ortalama %2.59±0.30’dur. Kabuk boyu artışı 13.67mm olarak bulunmuş ve 51.20±0.50
mm’ye ulaşmıştır. Canlı ağırlığı artışı 7.91g bulunmuş ve 12.61±0.39 g’ma ulaşmıştır. Et verimi
%17.51 ile %24.25 arsında olup, ortalama %21.12±0.63’tür. Kümülatif ölüm oranı kışın, bahar ve
yaza göre daha yüksektir. Aylık ölüm oranı maksimum Ekim ayında %5.2 bulunmuştur. Bu çalışma,
Karadeniz’deki sal sisteminde ve pinter ağlarda çevresel faktörlerin midyelerdeki büyüme ve ölüm
oranına etkisi üzerine veri toplayan ilk çalışma olarak bilinmektedir.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Büyüme, ölüm oranı, midye, Karadeniz.

Rezumat. Scoicile în vârstă de un an, din specia Mytilus galloprovincialis L. au fost crescute în trei
viviere flotabile experimentale de tip “lampă” în largul portului Sinop. În cadrul experimentului au fost
monitorizate mortalitatea și creșterea din luna mai a anului 2005 până în luna mai a anului 2006. Au
fost determinate: temperatura apei, salinitatea, transparența și prezența hranei (materia particulată
totală, materia particulată organică, materia particulată anorganică și Clorofila a). Rata de creștere
specifică lunară (SGR%) s-a încadrat între 1,50 și 5,72% cu o medie de 2,59±0,30%. Creșterea în
lungime constatată a scoicilor a fost de 13,67 mm și a atins 51,20±0,50 mm. Creșterea masei
corporale a fost de 7,91 g, iar scoicile au atins masa corporală de 12,61±0,39 g. Partea valorificabilă,
carnea, a variat între 17,51 și 24,25% cu o medie de 21,12±0,63%. Mortalitatea cumulativă a fost mai
ridicată iarna, decât primăvara și vara. Din punctul de vedere al mortalității lunare, ea a atins un
maxim în luna octombrie, cu o valoare de 5,2%. Acest studiu este primul experiment cunoscut cu date
concrete cu privire la efectul factorilor de mediu asupra creșterii și mortalității naturale a scoicilor în
viviere flotabile de tip “lampă” în Marea Neagră.
Cuvinte cheie: creștere, mortalitate, scoici, Marea Neagră.

Introduction. The geographic situation offers a great fisheries potential in Turkey. Yet,
the performance of the sector is quite modest compared to this potential. Fishery
contributes only 3% to agricultural value (Akder & Halis 2005) and as one of the four
agricultural sub-sectors in Turkey, fisheries has great importance in national production

97
and food supply, providing raw material for the industrial sector, creating employment
possibilities and high potential for export (Deniz et al 2000). Turkish aquaculture has
limited species diversity. Currently only the following species are cultured commercially:
rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax), sea bream
(Sparus aurata), blue-fin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and the mediterranean mussel (Mytilus
galloprovincialis) (Okumuş & Deniz 2007). Total aquaculture production reached 139,873
t and M. galloprovincialis culture is represented 1,100 t in 2007 (TUIK 2008).
There have been several scientific studies on bivalve culture in the Aegean Sea
(Alpbaz et al 1991; Hindioglu et al 2001; Serdar & Lök 2005; Lök et al 2006; Lök & Acarlı
2006; Lök et al 2007), Marmara Sea (Yıldız & Lök 2005ab; Yıldız et al 2005; Yıldız et al
2006) and Black Sea (Karayücel et al 2002; Karayücel et al 2003ab) but commercial
activites are developing slowly and there is only one functioning mussel farm in Turkey.
This farm started to produce mussel (M. galloprovincialis) in raft and long-line culture
system in Mersin Bay (Izmir) in 2000 and it is still active with a production capacity of
1000 mt/year (Kumlu & Lök 2007).
For mussel farmers the main objective is to get a better quality of meat and a
maximal growth of organisms. Sedentary bivalve molluscs are able to tolerate the wide
range of water conditions which commonly occur in their natural estuarine or coastal
habitats, however their growth rates and flesh conditions are strongly influenced by these
fluctuations in environmental conditions. Temperature, salinity, particulate matter, food
availiability, current speed and water depth have been examined in multiple- and single-
locality sudies, and have been found exert varying degrees of influence upon their growth
and condition (Brown & Hartwick 1988ab; Hickman et al 1991; Thorarinsdottir 1994;
Pérez-Camacho et al 1995; Stirling & Okumus 1995; Fernandez-Reiriz et al 1996; Sara et
al 1998). However, it is declared the close relationship between mussel growth efficiency
and food availability, this indicating growth performance limits in terms of energetic
potential of food available (Fréchette & Bourget 1985; Karayücel & Karayücel 2000a;
Karayücel et al 2003a; Erdemir Yiğin & Tunçer 2004; Ogilvie et al 2004; Lemaire et al
2006; Ozernyurk & Zotin 2006; Strohmeier et al 2008).
The large natural river supply of phosphorus and nitrogen, essential nutrients for
marine plants and algae, has always made the Black Sea very fertile (Bakan &
Büyükgüngör 2000). Chlorophyll-a concentration is a measure of the amount of
phytoplankton from water. Phytoplankton is the principal food source for sedentary
bivalves (Saxby 2002). When looking from this point of view, the region is suitable for
filter feeding organism as mussel in the light of nutrient matter. However, the
chlorophyll-a content of water alone may not be sufficient to indicate site suitability for
bivalve farming. Other environmental factors have been identified as major determinants
in productivity of commercial bivalve growing areas in temperate and warm temperate
waters throughout the world. Prospects for mussel culture are quite high due to the
favorable salinity, temperature, topography, food availability, reproductive potential and
socio-economic conditions in the Black Sea area. M. galloprovincialis farming can be one
of the most important activities in the region. So far, the studies showed that the growth
performance of cultured mussels (raft and longline culture system) was considerable
high. When the obtained product amount was taken into consideration, mussel culture in
this region was advised (Karayücel et al 2002; Karayücel et al 2003ab).
M. galloprovincialis is highly adaptable and especially tolerant of a wide range of
environmental conditions. However, extremes in physical factors such as storms,
temperature and dessication, and excessive deposition of silt are all known to cause
mortality in mussels (Seed & Suchanek 1992). Predation is undoubtedly the single most
important source of natural mortality in M. galloprovincialis (Karayücel & Karayücel
1999ab). However the cause of mortality may be attributed to increased metabolic stress
related to spawning (Emmett et al 1987; Tremblay et al 1988). Unfortunately there is no
available experiment on growth and mortality in Black Sea region. Therefore this study is
the first known experiment to collect data on effect of environmental factors on mussel
growth and natural mortality in lantern nets and raft system in the Black Sea.

98
Material and Method. Experiment was caried out on M. galloprovincialis L. in raft
system, at depth of 13 m in Sinop, in the Black Sea, Turkey from May 2005 to May 2006.
Mussels were stocked to the lantern nets (Figure 1) and hunged from mussels raft
system to determine growth and natural mortality.

A
B

(Ø: 50cm)

A
B C
(Weight :3 kg)

Figure 1. A - lantern net design; B - lantern net was used for experiment;
C - lantern net were hanged from the raft system

System Design. Raft system was mainly constructed from steel, pine wood beams and
iron sac (see Figure 1). For building raft system, two sac float with 3.5 mm thickness,
50x75x300 cm dimensions were used. Three steel bars (0.8x12x400 cm) were attached
to the float diagonally while six pine wood beams (10x10x400 cm) were attached to steel
bars by steel screws.
The raft system was moored from four sides of the raft by using concreted block
and 32 mm polypropylene riser (4:1 scope). Each concreted blocks with 10 meters of 22
mm open link ground chain were connected to riser rope. Two rectangle sacs with 3.5
mm thickness were used as floats and 4 mm of angle iron welded all over corners of sacs
to make the float system strong. Then two rectangle floats were combined by 2 meters
galvanised pipe from the bottom of floats.
Sampling Procedure. One year old mussels were collected from mooring rope of Ak
Fish Farm and extra large and small size mussels were removed for uniform size
experimental mussels. Then experimental mussels with a mean length of 37.54±0.37
mm (± SE) stocked to into three lantern nets and hunged from raft system. Each lantern
net contained three leave two tray (50 cm diameter) at a density of 500 mussel per tray
or 1000 mussels per lantern nets. Monthly sampling was carried out and 15 mussels from
each experimental tray were randomly taken during 12 months experimental period. On
each sampling date, empty shells were counted and removed to determine mortality and
lantern nets were brushed and cleaned of fouling organisms. Sub-samples were taken to
determine monthly changes in shell length (SL), tissue weight (wet meat weight - WMW),
live weight (LW), dry meat weigth (DMW) and ash-free dry meat weigth (AFDMW).
Enviromental Parameters. Temperature, salinity, chlorophyll-a (ch-a), seston (total
particulate matter), particulate inorganic matter (PIM) and particulate organic matter
(POM), were determined monthly from May 2005 to May 2006. Water samples were
taken at depth of 3 m by using a Niskin bottle at the experimental site. Water
temperature and salinity was measured in situ using a probe (YSI 6600). In the
laboratory, triplicate water samples (3 l) were filtered onto Whatman GF/C fillters to
determine chlorophyll-a (µgL-1), seston (mgL-1) and POM (mgL-1) concentration according
to Stirling (1995).
Morphological Measurements and Statistical Analyses. Growth was estimated from
changes in shell length, live weight and wet meat weight (tissue weight). Live weight
(total weight of mussel) was measured by weighing live animals and wet meat weight
obtained by weighing the meat after dissecting the mussels and bloted extra water with a

99
tissue paper. Shell length (maximum anterior-posterior axis) was measured to the
nearest 0.1 mm with a caliper (Seed 1968). At the end of the experiment, mussels from
three ropes were counted and the number of mussels per meter of rope calculated for
production. Production was estimated according to the Rivonker et al (1993). Meat yield
was calculated by dividing the wet meat weight to live weight of mussel. Monthly specific
growth rate (SGR %) were found from following formulate by using:
(SGR %)=100[(lnL2-L1) / (T2-T1)],
where L1 and L2 are the mean shell lengths at times T1 and T2 (T2-T1 was an average 30
days) (Chatterji et al 1984).
Cumulative mortality calculation was determined using from following formulate by
using:
Cumulative mortality (%)=100(Nt/N0),
where Nt is the number of empty shells mussels removed from the lantern after t time
and N0 is the number of mussels at the beginning.
A correlation matrix was used to determine the relationships between the
enviromental and growth parameters. Statistical analyses were carried out using
MINITAB 13.1 software.

Results

Environmental parameters. The temperature ranged from 7.5°C to 25.05°C with a

mean of 14.90±1.70°C. Salinity ranged from 16.80 to 17.97 ‰ with a mean of
17.59±0.10‰ and there was not clear seasonal pattern. Chlorophyll-a peaked in March
(16.30 µgL-1) as a result of spring algal bloom and decreased to the lowest value in
January (0.53 µgL-1), with a mean of 3.07±1.18 µgL-1. Seasonal chlorophyll-a
concentration was significantly different (p<0.05) and in general higher in spring and
lower in winter. POM ranged 1.58 to 4 mgL-1 with a mean of 2.42±0.17 mgL-1 while
seston ranged from 5.45 to 6.92 mgL-1, with a mean of 6.21±0.12 mgL-1 (Figure 2 and
Figure 3). There was a positive correlation between chlorophyll-a and POM (p<0.05).
Salinity and temperature did not significantly correlate with chlorophyll-a, POM and
seston (p>0.05). When chlorophyll-a and seston reached maximum values in March, the
temperature was the maximum in August. There was a clear seasonal pattern in the
temperature but the other environmental parameters did not show any clear seasonal
pattern.
Growth Rate and Mortality. At the end of twelve months, shell length increment was
occured as 13.67 mm and reached to 51.20±0.50 mm. About 54.06% of total shell
length growth was occured from May to October (Table 1). The growth rate was the
lowest on January. The highest values of SGR were obtained in the first three months
when the mussels were younger and availability of food was higher. The monthly specific
growth rate (SGR %) ranged 1.50-5.72% with a mean of 2.59±0.30% (Figure 4). The
live weight increasement was found 7.91 g and reached to 12.61±0.39 g. Live weight
and shell length correlated with POM (p<0.05). At the end of the experiment, the mean
wet meat weight (tissue weight) was 1.93±0.16 g and the shell weight was 3.46±0.27 g.
Meat yield ranged from 17.51 to 24.25% with a mean of 21.12±0.63%. The shell length
increment positively correlated with live weight (p<0.05).

100
 30
Temperature (ºC) A
20

10

r
ne

ry
Fe ry
ly

ch

ril
r

er
t
ay

ay
De be

be
be
Se gus
Ju

Ap
ua
a
ob
Ju

ar
M

M
m

nu
m
em

M
br
Au

ct

ve

ce

Ja
O
pt

No
19
Salinity (‰)

18

17

16
r
ay ne ly st er er be e r a ry ar y rch pril ay
M Ju Ju ugu mb tob b u u a A M
A te Oc vem cem an ebr M
ep o e J F
S N D
Chlorophyll a (µg/L)

20
C
15
10
5
0
r
ne

ry
Fe ry
ly

ch

ril
No ber
O er
t

ay
ay

De be

be
Se gus
Ju

Ap
ua
a
b
Ju

ar
M

M
m

nu
m
em

M
br
Au

ct

ve

ce

Ja
pt

MONTH

Figure 2. Monthly distribution of mean temperature (A), salinity (B) and chlorophyll-a (C)

101
 Seston (mg/L) PIM (mg/L) POM (mg/L)

5
6
7
8
2
3
4
5
1
2
3
4
5

M M M
ay ay ay

C
B
Ju Ju Ju
A

ne ne ne

Ju Ju Ju
ly ly ly
Au Au Au
Se gus Se gus Se gus
pt t pt t pt t
em em em
be be be
O r O r O r
ct ct ct
ob ob ob
No er No er No er
ve ve ve
m m m

102
De be De be De be
ce r ce r ce r
m m m
be be be

MONTH
Ja r Ja r Ja r
nu nu nu
a a a
Fe ry Fe ry Fe ry
br br br
ua ua ua
ry ry ry

inorganic matter (B) and seston (C)

M M M
ar ar ar
ch ch ch
Ap Ap Ap
ril ril ril
M M M
ay ay ay

Figure 3. Monthly distribution of mean particulate organic matter (A), particulate

 6
5
4
SGR (%)
3
2
1
0

ne ly t r r er r ry ry ch ril ay
Ju Ju gus be o be mb be ua ua ar Ap M
u m t e m n br M
A pt
e
O
c v ce Ja Fe
Se No De
MONTH

Figure 4. Monthly distribution of specific growth rate (SGR)

Table 1
The main parameters observed in M. galloprovincialis for the present study

Parameters Value
Initial 37.53±0.37
Length (mm) Final 51.20±0.50
Increment 13.67
Initial 4.70±0.14
LW (g) Final 12.61±0.37
Increment 7.91
Initial 1.51±0.21
WMW (g) Final 2.51±0.02
Increment 1
Initial 0.26±0.03
DMW (g) Final 0.42±0.003
Increment 0.16
Initial 0.09±0.01
AFDMW (g) Final 0.16±0.001
Increment 0.07

Monthly mortality was found maximum with 5.2% in October (see below Figure 5).

103
 25

Cumulative Mortality (%)

20

15

10

ay ne ly st r r er r ry ry ch ril
M Ju Ju ugu be o be mb be ua ua ar Ap
e m c t e em n br M
A
ept O ov ec Ja Fe
S N D

Figure 5. Distribution of mean cumulative mortality (%)

Discussion. One of the most important factors affecting the growth rate is temperature.
When temperature is above 10°C and food is available, growth rate is high (Bayne et al
1976). Also, the studies showed that number of environmental factors including water
temperature, quantity and quality of food principally affects growth in marine bivalves,
but phytoplankton availability is the most important factor (Seed 1976; Jones & Iwama
1991; Karayücel & Karayücel 1999ab; Manoj Nair & Appukuttan 2003; Ren & Ross 2005).
The present study showed that when the temperature was below 10°C (in March)
chlorophyll-a reached the highest value (16.3 µgL-1). POM reached the maximum
(4.00±0.29 mgL-1) in April and positively correlated with chlorophyll-a (P<0.05). When
the seston was lower, the increase in shell length and live weight were lower, too.
However, when the POM and chlorophyll-a were higher in the spring and summer, the
increasement of live weight and shell length were higher, too. POM was positively
correlated with shell length and live weigth (P<0.05). Chlorophyll-a and POM had higher
values compared with those of other highly productive areas for bivalve culture and had
a significant correlation with the seston (Stirling & Okumuş 1994; Stirling & Okumuş
1995; Sarà et al 1998; Lök et al 2007).
In the present study, when mussels were younger, the highest SGR was obtained
during spring and summer due to high temperature and food availability. The lowest SGR
(1.50%) in January and the highest SGR (5.72%) in June was obtained. Some authors
(Karayücel & Karayücel 2001; Karayücel et al 2002; Lauzon-Guay et al 2005; Lök et al
2007) declared similar findings. Growth rate was slower at older mussels (Seed 1969;
Lauzon-Guay et al 2005; Lök et al 2007). Almada-Villela et al (1982) and Blanchard &
Feder (2000) indicated that growth in mussels (Mytilus spp.) was rapid during the spring
and summer (at temperatures of 10-20˚C) and slow or absent during the colder months
(at temperatures below 5˚C) in temperate waters. Karayücel et al (2003b) reported that
the SGR was lower during the winter due to the low availability of food but it resumed in
March and continued through the spring and summer in Sinop, in the Black Sea. Other
studies have shown that food availability and quality were the main determinants of
growth rate in mussels (Ceccherelli & Rossi 1984; Page & Hubbard 1987; Frechette &
Bourget 1987; Mohlenberg & Riisgård 1979; Ogilvie et al 2004; Lök et al 2007; Lemaire
et al 2006). These findings are similar with the results discussed in present study.
In general, natural mortality in mussel populations results from an interaction of
many biological and physical factors (Dare 1976). Yanick et al 2003 declared that
increased metabolic stress in mussels has been correlated with mortality of mussels. In
this study, increase in natural cumulative mortality that was monitored may be attributed
to increased metabolic stress related to spawning in October. Increased metabolic stress
in mussels has been correlated with reduced food quality in winter and resulted with

104
higher mortality. The cumulative mortality was significantly correlated with dry meat
weight (p<0.05). Also cumulative mortality was higher in winter than spring and
summer. The combined effects of reduced feeding rate, low temperature and increased
gamete production may be responsible for mortality. The mortality rate was higher in
younger mussels than in older ones (Karayücel & Karayücel 2000b). This finding was
similar with ours that lower mortality was obtained in older mussels.

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Received: 15 February 2009. Accepted: 07 April 2009. Published online: 08 April 2009.
Authors:
Meryem Yesim Celik, Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, University of Sinop, Turkey, e-mail:
yesimcelik@yahoo.com
Sedat Karayücel, Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, University of Sinop, Turkey, e-mail:
karayucels@hotmail.com
İsmihan Karayücel, Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, University of Sinop, Turkey, e-mail:
ismihank@hotmail.com
How to cite this article:
Celik M. Y., Karayücel S., Karayücel İ., 2009 Effects of environmental factors on growth and mortality of raft
cultivated mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis L.) cultivated in lantern nets in Black Sea. AACL Bioflux 2(2):97-
108.
Printed version: ISSN 1844-8143
Online version: ISSN 1844-9166 available at: http://www.bioflux.com.ro/docs/2009.2.97-108.pdf
Submitted and accepted also in the official programme of International Symposium ACVAPEDIA 2009.

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